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Once a Bhikari...

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I came across this news item in DAWN …about Imran Khans visit to Bejing…SCMP also reported and published an article yesterday saying that while he was appearing for the winter Olympics , he was also coming with a cap in his hand…nee a begging bowl for assistance from XI Jinping…. Then I came across two articles of 50 years back… it was déjà vu..at that time Bhutto was the PM and he was begging off with Chou en Lai…Nothing changes…

 

Head Line in Dawn : Ministers, adviser highlight expanding Pak-China relations as PM Imran leaves for 4-day visit

 

Excerpts of The Article : As Prime Minister Imran Khan left for a four-day visit to China on Thursday, government ministers elaborated on the significance of his trip, saying that it would serve a number of purposes ranging from strategic to economic….the prime minister will attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2022 in Beijing and hold bilateral meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang…Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said it was a "very important" trip politically and economically. He added that China would be asked to relocate its industry in Pakistan since special economic zones were all ready and it would be a "win-win situation…The prime minister will also [ask] them to help us in our agriculture transformation plan because agriculture holds a very important place for us,"…Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a statement carried by Radio Pakistan, said that many Chinese companies were "desirous" of investing in Pakistan and the prime minister was expected to meet many of their heads…Planning Minister Asad Umar said the trip was coming at a "highly important time". A special book had been prepared which would explain why Pakistan was a prime destination for investment and it would be presented to the Chinese leadership, he shared…Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry echoed the views, saying that the trip would serve to expand Pakistan-China relations…Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf stressed the trip's importance in regards to solving the Afghan crisis, explaining that the issue would be discussed during the visit as well…Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said many aspects of trade would be discussed and there were some areas in the free trade agreement which needed to be "improved"…The prime minister's visit will mark the culmination of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, with more than 140 events organised to showcase the resilience of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and the unfolding international situation.


 

Headline in SCMP : Behind Pakistan leader Imran Khan’s smiles for the Beijing Winter Olympics, there’s a cap in his hand

 

Excerpt of the Article : The presence of the global cricketing superstar offers China a PR boost as he says Western claims over rights abuses in Xinjiang are ‘not true on the ground’

But with the Pakistani economy in deep trouble, there’s a likely quid pro quo as Khan prepares to make a US$28 billion pitch for new Belt and Road Initiative projects


 

50 Years Back

 

Headline From The Past Pages Of Dawn: 1972: Fifty Years Ago: China writes off $110m

Article : PEKING: China has written off four loans amounting to 110 million dollars outstanding against Pakistan with a promise of fresh loans to help build Pakistan’s economy, according to the Sino-Pakistan joint communique. The interest-free loans given in 1965 were due for repayment in 1974 but China turned them into grants in view of the tremendous setback to Pakistan’s economy following events of last year. Regarding the 200 million dollars loan pledged in 1970, an official spokesman said its repayment had been postponed by a period of 30 years.


 

Headline : From The Past Pages Of Dawn: 1972: Fifty Years Ago: Pak-China talks

 

Excerpt : PEKING: President Z.A. Bhutto, who arrived here to a ... rousing welcome at 2 p.m. today [ Jan 31], began his talks with a high-powered Chinese delegation led by Premier Chou En-lai... . In his speech of welcome at the reception at the Great Hall of People, Premier Chou pledged China’s strong unwavering support to the people and Government of Pakistan in their bid to safeguard their national independence and overcome the ... crisis caused by ... military occupation of a part of the country. … The fall of Dacca, he said, was not the end of the matter; it was the beginning of a series of new contradictions and explosions.

The Premier noted that the Muslim countries had without exception lent support to Pakistan. This was unprecedented since total unanimity was lacking even in the case of Israel. … The Chinese Premier ... announced a moratorium on the repayment of Pakistan’s debt to China for 10 years, to be extended if necessary by another 10 years. Then he smilingly, added that Pakistan could go on postponing the payment of the interest-free loan until the dawn of the 21st century.

 

My Comment : Pakistan was a Bhikari 50 years back. It remains one now! From Bhutto to Imran the national slogan of Pakistan seems to be : De de re baba de de…allah ke naam pe de de…begging has a new acronym…Packistan  


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